Abstract: The Bruce Conner papers, 1940s - 2010, form a voluminous,
comprehensive overview of Conner's life as a visual artist and filmmaker spanning the length
of his celebrated career. The papers include correspondence with individuals, galleries and
museums, announcements, programs, articles, reviews, interviews, lectures, awards and
grants, contracts, invoices, legal files, chronological files, and other sundry
documentation all in great detail.

Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English

Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite
and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Librarys online catalog.

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17,
U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of
University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of
the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited
without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively
with the user.

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .

Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.
Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library.
Videotapes/sound recordings have been transferred to the Microforms Collection of The
Bancroft Library.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
librarys online public access catalog.

Conner, Bruce--Archives

Artists--20th century

Artists--California--San Francisco

Experimental films--California--San Francisco

Assemblage (Art)--California--San Francisco

Conceptual art--California--San Francisco

Drawing--20th century

Drawing--California--San Francisco

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The Bruce Conner papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Bruce Conner and,
subsequently, The Conner Family Trust beginning in 1996.

Accruals

Future additions are expected.

System of Arrangement

Arranged to the folder level.

Processing Information

Processed by Dean Smith in 2009-2010.

Biographical Information

Bruce Conner in twenty-five words or less:

Bruce Conner is the best cereal in America.
Tasty and nutritious. He never gets soggy.
He's always crisp.

- Richard Brautigan (1975)

Sculptor, filmmaker, collagist, painter, draftsman, photographer, conceptual prankster,
Bruce Conner defined the very qualities of artistic freedom and in doing so boldly defied
categorization and mainstream co-option in pursuit of his visionary images and ideas.

Born in McPherson, Kansas, in 1933, Bruce Conner spent his childhood and young adulthood in
nearby Wichita. Upon graduating from Wichita High School East, Conner went on to study art
at Wichita University and University of Nebraska, where he met his wife-to-be, Jean
Sandstedt. He continued art studies at the Brooklyn Art School and the University of
Colorado. In 1957, at the urging of his childhood friend, the poet Michael McClure, and
attracted by stories of a vibrant art and literary scene that included visual artists Jay
DeFeo, Joan Brown, and Jess, and poets Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Philip Whalen, and Philip
Lamantia, he and his wife, Jean, moved to San Francisco. Conner subsequently became a key
figure in the Citys legendary Beat community. After brief sojourns to Mexico City,
1961-1962, where his son, Robert was born, and Brookline, Massachusetts, 1963-1964, Conner
resettled in San Francisco where he continued to live and work until his death.

Conner first attracted public attention in the 1950s with his often morbid, melancholic
nylon enshrouded assemblages of found materials that he collected in the streets or chanced
upon in thrift stores, and short experimental films that often incorporated found footage
culled from newsreels and educational and promotional movies. Both the assemblages and films
were to establish him as one of the most important figures in post-WWII American art. A
MOVIE (1958) is considered a seminal landmark of experimental filmmaking. From the mid-50s
through the mid-60s, Conner exhibited regularly with the Alan Gallery in New York. During
this time, Conner began questioning the identity, persona and mystique of the artist and for
a time both refused to sign his artwork and to be photographed. As the end of the 60s
approached Conner became increasingly disillusioned with the commercial artworld, having
stopped creating his celebrated assemblages and temporarily refraining from exhibiting.
However, he continued to create new work (darkly beautiful, mind-bending felt-tip pen
drawings, for instance) even if out of sight of the art market spotlight. For a brief stint
in the late 60s, Conner participated in creating light shows at the famed San Francisco rock
venue, the Avalon Ballroom.

The 1970s saw Conner stepping back into the artworld with renewed vigor creating
impressive, compelling bodies of work in engraving collages, inkblot drawings and
photograms, and filmmaking continued unabated with further groundbreaking pieces. In 1976,
Conner was introduced to the nascent San Francisco punk scene centered at the Broadway
Avenue club, The Mabuhay Gardens. Recognizing punks anti-establishment attitude as having
antecedents in the Beat scene of the 50s, and strongly identifying with punks anger and
ironical stance, Conner began to photo-document the frenzied shows at Mabuhay, a number of
which were published in the punk zines of the day. Conner was to utilize the punk band,
Devos song, "Mongoloid" as the soundtrack for his biting film of the same name. It was
Conners complex use of appropriated visuals coupled with music and underscored with his
often rapid-fire editing technique that is now seen (a dubious distinction perhaps) as
having prefigured the visual tropes of commercial television music videos of the MTV era.

In the early 80s, Conner was diagnosed with a rare liver ailment - which he discussed
freely - and was given the prognosis of surviving maybe months, a year at best. He was to
prove much tougher and more resilient than doctors predicted as the decade progressed.
Conner continued to exhibit regularly and became actively represented and promoted by
Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles, with additional representation from Gallery Paule Anglim,
San Francisco and Susan Inglett Gallery, New York. Long considered just an artists artist or
underground phenom, Conner and his work began to attract serious renewed national and even
international attention despite his reputation as being impossible to work with. This
gathering interest by gallerists and curators reached critical mass with his major traveling
survey exhibition, "2000 BC: The Bruce Conner Story Pt. II," which was organized by the
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis in 1999. Conner was always at pains to explain that "2000 BC"
was not a retrospective for the fact that it left out numerous aspects of his voluminous and
varied art-making practice.

During the last decade of his life, Conner continued to push the boundaries of what
constituted artistic authorship and identity by ratcheting up his conceptual game within the
contemporary art markets narrowly defined parameters. Claiming to have retired from the
artworld, his inkblot drawings became signed by a host of "anonymous" artists: Anonymous,
Anon., Anonymouse, Emily Feather, Billie Dew and Justin Kase. Ever expanding the boundaries
of his craft, one of Conners final film projects, THREE SCREEN RAY (2006), was a digital
reworking, technically assisted by filmmaker, Michelle Silva, of his original 16mm film,
COSMIC RAY (1961), that transformed it into a dazzling, hypnotic video installation.

Bruce Conner died at home on July 7, 2008 having defied the odds of his debilitating
condition for over twenty years, and having, during the course of his storied life, help to
shape the course of American art with his fierce wit and intelligence.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Bruce Conner papers, 1940s - 2010, form a voluminous, comprehensive overview of Conners
life as a visual artist and filmmaker spanning the length of his celebrated career. The
papers include correspondence with individuals, galleries and museums, announcements,
programs, articles, reviews, interviews, lectures, awards and grants, contracts, invoices,
legal files, chronological files, and other sundry documentation all in great detail.

Container List

Series 1
Correspondence1961 - 2009; Undated

Physical Description:
Cartons 1 - 3, Oversize Box 1, Folder 1

Arrangement

Hierarchical then alphabetical then chronological.

Scope and Content Note

Outgoing filed first, followed by Family and General.

1.1
Outgoing1961 - 2007; Undated

Physical Description:
Carton 1

Arrangement

Chronological.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence to Michael McClure is followed by General outgoing which is arranged
chronologically.

Carton 1, Folder 1

McClure, Michael1961 Sep. 19 -2000 June 19; Undated

Carton 1, Folder 2

General1973 Feb. 4 - 2007 July 9

1.2
Family1965 - 2009; Undated

Physical Description:
Carton 1

Arrangement

Hierarchical.

Scope and Content Note

Outgoing filed first followed by immediate family then extended family.

The series begins with papers regarding individual artworks, their conservation,
consignment, copyright, destroyed works, editions, forgeries, loans, reproductions of
artworks, sales, studies for artworks, services used in framing and conserving artworks,
and artworks in private and public collections. The series continues with
correspondence, announcements and other related papers from and to various galleries in
which Conner exhibited his work. The papers regarding museums is divided into four
sub-series: general correspondence, specific exhibitions at various institutions, papers
regarding his major survey exhibition, "2000 BC: the Bruce Conner Story Part II,"
proposed exhibitions, and concluding with artworks given to various individuals and
organizations for auctions, donations and gifts.

Museums is divided into four sub-series: general correspondence, specific exhibitions
at various venues, papers regarding his major survey exhibition, "2000 BC: The Bruce
Conner Story Part II," proposed exhibitions, and concluding with artworks given to
various individuals and organizations for auctions, donations and gifts.

Organized into three main categories: Conners dispute with the punk band, Dead
Kennedys, his dispute with Gary Todd of the Cortical Foundation, and general invoices
for legal services rendered.

8.1
Dead Kennedys Dispute1978 - 1987

Physical Description:
Carton 16, Oversize Box 1, Folder 16

Arrangement

Chronological.

Carton 16, Folder 39

Recording Agreement1978 Sep. - Dec.

Oversize Box 1, Folder 16

Track and Mixing Charts1978 Sep. 30 - 1981 Apr. 17

Carton 16, Folder 40

Legal Correspondence[1982 Apr.] - 2004 Apr. 16

Carton 16, Folder 41

Injunctions1986 Apr. - May

Carton 16, Folder 42

Declaration/Stipulation & Order for Continuance/Memorandum of
Complaint, Etc.
1986 Apr. - June

Carton 16, Folder 43

Legal Invoices1986 June - Dec.

Carton 16, Folder 44

Cross Complaint1987 Feb. 11

8.2
Gary Todd/Cortical Foundation Dispute1995 - 1999 Undated

Physical Description:
Carton 16, Oversize Unit C, Folder 7

Arrangement

Hierarchical then chronological.

Carton 16, Folder 45

Existent Art Contract/Letter of Agreement1995 Oct. - Dec.

Carton 16, Folder 46 - 47

Legal Correspondence1996 May 15 - 1999 June 14

Carton 16, Folder 48

1st Interrogatories1997 Jan. 20 - 1999 Jan. 23

Carton 16, Folder 49

Complaint for Breach of Contract1997 June

Carton 16, Folder 50

Defendants Request for Production of Documents1997 Dec.

Carton 16, Folder 51

Responses to Interrogatories1998 Mar. 20

Carton 16, Folder 52

Responses for Production of Documents1998 Jan. - Mar.

Carton 16, Folder 53

Responses to 1st Set of Admissions1998 Mar.

Carton 16, Folder 54

ExhibitsUndated

Carton 16, Folder 55

Chronology1995 - 1998

Carton 16, Folder 56 - 57

Artwork ReproductionsUndated

Oversize Folder Unit C, Folder 7

Miscellany - Beyond the Pink Festival Poster1998 Feb.

8.3
Invoices1994 Mar.17 - 2005 Nov. 7

Physical Description:
Carton 17

Arrangement

Chronological.

Carton 17, Folder 1 - 2

Invoices1994 Mar.17 - 2005 Nov. 7

Series 9
Chronological FilesCirca 1940s - 2005

Physical Description:
Cartons 17 - 19

Arrangement

Chronological.

Scope and Content Note

Chronological files that Conner compiled and organized. Like a scrapbook, these files
contain correspondence, announcements, news clippings and other materials related to his
career. Numerous files contain items that are dated later than the year represented on
the folders, but relate to exhibitions, events, etc. of the year noted.

Carton 17, Folder 3

[1940s - 1950s]

Carton 17, Folder 4

[1951]

Carton 17, Folder 5

1952

Carton 17, Folder 6

1953

Carton 17, Folder 7

1954

Carton 17, Folder 8

1955

Carton 17, Folder 9

1956

Carton 17, Folder 10

1957

Carton 17, Folder 11

1958

Carton 17, Folder 12

1959

Carton 17, Folder 13

1960

Carton 17, Folder 14

1960 - 1974

Carton 17, Folder 15

1961

Carton 17, Folder 16

1962

Carton 17, Folder 17 - 18

1963

Carton 17, Folder 19 - 20

1964

Carton 17, Folder 21

1965

Carton 17, Folder 22

1966

Carton 17, Folder 23

1967

Carton 17, Folder 24

1968

Carton 17, Folder 25

1969

Carton 17, Folder 26

1970

Carton 17, Folder 27

1971

Carton 17, Folder 28

1972

Carton 17, Folder 29

1973

Carton 17, Folder 30

1974

Carton 17, Folder 31

1975

Carton 17, Folder 32

1976

Carton 17, Folder 33

1977

Carton 17, Folder 34

1978

Carton 17, Folder 35

1979

Carton 17, Folder 36

1980

Carton 17, Folder 37

1981

Carton 17, Folder 38

1982

Carton 17, Folder 39

1983

Carton 17, Folder 40

1984

Carton 17, Folder 41

1985

Carton 17, Folder 42

1986

Carton 17, Folder 43

1987

Carton 17, Folder 44

1988

Carton 18, Folder 1 - 2

1989

Carton 18, Folder 3

1990

Carton 18, Folder 4

1991

Carton 18, Folder 5

1992

Carton 18, Folder 6

1993

Carton 18, Folder 7

1994

Carton 18, Folder 8

1995

Carton 18, Folder 9 - 10

1996

Carton 18, Folder 11 - 12

1997

Carton 18, Folder 13 - 14

1998

Carton 18, Folder 15 - 17

1999

Carton 18, Folder 18 - 21

2000

Carton 19, Folder 1 - 3

2001

Carton 19, Folder 4 - 6

2002

Carton 19, Folder 7 - 8

2003

Carton 19, Folder 9 - 11

2004

Carton 19, Folder 12 - 14

2005

Series 10
Personal[1943] - 2005; Undated

Physical Description:
Carton 19, Oversize Volumes, 1 - 4

Arrangement

Chronological. Scrapbooks and Miscellany organized at end of series.

Scope and Content Note

Various materials that are mainly related to events and/or activities outside Conners
art/filmmaking career with the exception of the Scrapbooks which meticulously document
his art/filmmaking career from grade school to the mid-1970s. The Scrapbooks are
included in this series as they represent a private accounting of his life in the
arts.